 Tagline: Jim Henson, George Lucas and David Bowie take you into a dazzling world of fantasy and adventure. Where Everything Seems Possible and Nothing Is What It Seems. Journey into the fantastical world of Labyrinth, starring David Bowie and a cast of incredible creatures created by Jim Henson. Frustrated with baby-sitting on yet another weekend night, Sara - a teenager with an active imagination - summons the Goblins from her favorite book, "Labyrinth," to take her baby step-brother away. When little Toby actually disappears, Sarah must follow him into the world of the fairy tale to rescue him from the wicked Goblin King (Bowie)! Guarding his castle is The Labyrinth itself - a twisted maze of deception, populated with outrageous characters and unknown dangers. To get through it in time to save Toby, Sarah will have to outwit the King by befriending the very Goblins who protect him, in hopes that their loyalty isn't just another illusion in a place where nothing is as easy as it seems! Storyline: Young Sarah is left home alone by her parents and she has to babysit her little brother Toby. But the baby keeps crying and Sarah, while telling him a story to make him sleep, inadvertently conjures from a fantasy world the Goblin King who steals the child and brings him to his castle in the middle of a labyrinth. Sarah has to rescue him before midnight, or the baby will became a goblin... Written by Flavio Rizzardi Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Martin Liebman, September 18, 2009 -- I think I'm getting smarter! -- The final feature directed by the legendary Jim Henson before his death, Labyrinth is a glitzy, glamorous, and rollickingly fun Fantasy film that doesn't match for story his other well-known puppeteering masterpiece, The Dark Crystal, though Labyrinth does one-up the 1982 classic in a number of other areas, notable among them the immaculately-designed puppets that populate the film. Though still a dark story with traditional motifs and characters, Labyrinth does well to lend a lighter side to the proceedings. Song and dance, comedy, and action all blend into the overreaching Fantasy story arc, and to very good effect. It's clear from the beginning that Labyrinth sets out to deliver a good old time at the movies, and it doesn't disappoint. Escapist entertainment in the truest sense, Labyrinth brings to life a world that's the stuff of dreams, a world populated by good and evil and cuddly and scary characters where rhymes and riddles and danger and laughs all await those that dare enter into its inviting yet perilous and altogether fantastical world. Young Sarah (Jennifer Connelly, Requiem For a Dream) finds herself frustrated with the prospect of once again babysitting her infant brother Toby while her parents spend a night out on the town. A fan of Fantasy fiction, she wishes the goblins of her books to take Toby forever. Little does she realize they're listening, and they're in a taking mood. With the words spoken, a crying Toby vanishes from his crib. Enter the Goblin King Jareth (singer David Bowie) who strikes a deal with a suddenly-regretful Sarah: maneuver through the labyrinthine maze outside his castle in under 13 hours, and Toby will be returned to her unharmed. Accepting the challenge, Sarah enters the maze with a confidence that's soon shattered. Seemingly unable to escape its first passageway, she learns from a local resident -- a colorful, talking worm -- that "things are not always what they seem" in the labyrinth. Finally able to move past the first passageway, Sarah finds herself in trouble but soon teams up with a dwarf-like creature named Hoggle that promises to help Sarah but doesn't come off as all that trustworthy. Along the way, Sarah's contingent grows; she teams up with a pitiful but powerful beast named Ludo and a pint-sized Musketeer-sort named Sir Didymus. With the clock running down and the challenges within the labyrinth growing all the more complex and dangerous, Sarah risks it all to recover her brother and maintain her new friendships along the way. The world of Labyrinth is one populated by a host of fascinating characters; it's a rare movie where even tertiary characters with but a few fleeting moments of screen time enjoy such a robust and memorable presence thanks in large part to the fantastic designs of Brian Froud, who also lent his talent to The Dark Crystal. Froud's characters spring to life in every frame, each one not only well-designed and fun to look at, but well-played and voiced behind-the-scenes. Froud lends to the characters a broad spectrum of appearances, ranging from small and colorful to hulking and metallic. Characters are not limited to the standards of the real world; they're integrated into doors, built into brick façades, and protrude from the sides of a deep, dark hole. Unlike The Dark Crystal where but a few species of slightly varied appearances exist, Labyrinth truly allows for the creative minds behind-the-scenes to shine. On the other side of the ledger, the film's pair of primary adult human performers -- Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie -- deliver the goods. Connelly does well to convey thoughts -- both hers and the audience's -- as she initially stumbles through the maze, talking to herself and trying to figure out where she is and how it can take her to where she needs to be. Her effort is breezy and sure, and she gains a confidence that serves her well as the film moves on to the climax. Bowie, too, delivers a cheerful effort as a villain that's done a dastardly deed but has so much sinister fun in the process that it's hard not to like the character on some level. Aside from a cast of puppet and human characters, Labyrinth's most notable feature, particularly when viewing the film in retrospect nearly a quarter-century after its theatrical debut, is its decidedly 1980s flair. No doubt about it, Labyrinth is a product of the big hair, glitzy era, and nary a frame goes by that audiences aren't inundated with 1980s goodness. The film's soundtrack takes on a syntho-electric beat, and its several song-and-dance numbers -- those with David Bowie singing and dancing in particular -- cannot help but engender an instant flashback to the era. Fortunately, however, both the score and the Bowie-written songs withstand the test of time and fit right in with the film's era-influenced visuals. The labyrinth's walls are plenty sparkly and glittery, and oh by the way, the 80s called, and it wants David Bowie's hair back. It all adds a charm to the movie that, yes, does date it terribly, but the material nevertheless holds up remarkably well nevertheless. One of the more imaginative films of the past several decades, Labyrinth holds up incredibly well despite its dated look and sound. The story is one that's superficially simple but comes alive thanks to the plethora of memorable characters both human and puppet that populate the film. Competently made, well-written within the confines of its genre, soundly acted, and just a pleasure to watch, Labyrinth is well-deserving of its status as a cult classic. Sony's Blu-ray release breathes new life into this fan favorite. Sporting a strong 1080p transfer, and equally pleasing lossless soundtrack, and a fine array of supplements, this disc is a necessary addition to any fan's collection. Recommended. Trivia:
Cast Notes: David Bowie (Jareth the Goblin King), Jennifer Connelly (Sarah), Toby Froud (Toby), Shelley Thompson (Stepmother), Christopher Malcolm (Father), Natalie Finland (Fairy), Shari Weiser (Hoggle), Brian Henson (Hoggle / Goblin [voice]), Ron Mueck (Ludo / Firey 2 / Goblin [voice]), Rob Mills (Ludo / Firey 3), Dave Goelz (Didymus / The Hat / The Four Guards / Left Door Knocker / Firey 3 [voice] [as David Goelz]), David Alan Barclay (Didymus / Firey 1), David Shaughnessy (Didymus / The Hat / The Four Guards / Goblin [voice] [as David Shaughnessy]), Karen Prell (The Worm / The Junk Lady / Firey 2), Timothy Bateson (The Worm / The Four Guards / Goblin [voice]). IMDb Rating (01/12/10): 7.3/10 from 34,129 users
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